The examples and perspective in this article deal primarily with the United Kingdom and do not represent a worldwide view of the subject. Please improve this article and discuss the issue on the talk page.(October 2014)

Due to economical reasons, especially in poor countries, children are forced to work in order to survive. Child labour often happens in difficult conditions, which are dangerous and impair the education of the future citizens and increase vulnerability to adults. It is hard to know exactly the age and number of children who work. At least 150 million children under 5 years of age worked in 2004, but the figure is underestimated because domestic labour is not counted.[citation needed]

In some countries, children can be imprisoned for common crimes. In some countries, like Iran or China, children can even be sentenced to capital punishment (the United States abandoned the practice in 2005). In contexts where military use of children is made, they also risk being prisoners of war. Other children are forced to prostitution, exploited by adults for illegal traffic in children or endangered by poverty and hunger. Infanticide today continues at a much higher rate in areas of extremely high poverty and overpopulation, such as parts of China and India. Female infants, then and even now, are particularly vulnerable, a factor in sex-selective infanticide.

The International Labour Organization (ILO) is a United Nations agency dealing with labour issues, created in 1919. It takes care also of child labour issues, in particular with conventions 138 and 182.

The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) is a United Nations Programme headquartered in New York City, that provides long-term humanitarian and developmental assistance to children and mothers in developing countries.

In 2000, an agreement was reached among UNO[ambiguous] countries about the military use of children.

The effectiveness of these programs is contested and seems limited to some.[vague]

Provincial or state governments' child protection legislation empowers the government department or agency to provide services in the area and to intervene in families where child abuse or other problems are suspected. The agency that manages these services has various names in different provinces and states, e.g., Department of Children's Services, Children's Aid, Department of Child and Family Services. There is some consistency in the nature of laws, though the application of the laws varies across the country.

Recognizing that the child, for the full and harmonious development of his or her personality, should grow up in a family environment, in an atmosphere of happiness, love and understanding… should be afforded the right to survival; to develop to the fullest; to protection from harmful influences, abuse and exploitation; and to participate fully in family, cultural and social life.

It is illegal to sell, serve or offer alcoholic drinks to anyone under the age of 18.

It is illegal to sell or offer liqueur confectionery to anyone under the age of 16.

It is illegal to serve beer, wine or cider on licensed premises to anyone under the age of 16; 16 and 17-year-olds may be served if an adult orders with a meal (not needed in Scotland).

It is illegal to give alcohol to children under the age of 5 years on private premises.

Tobacco

The Children and Young Persons (Sale of Tobacco etc.) Order 2007
Children and Young Persons Act 1933
(Tobacco and Primary Medical Services (Scotland) Act 2010)
Tobacco Retailers Act (Northern Ireland) 2014

It is illegal to sell or possess adult fireworks (category 2 and 3) under the age of 18.

It is illegal to sell or possess fireworks (category 1) under the age of 16.

It is illegal to sell or possess "Christmas crackers" under the age of 12.

Video games and movies

Video Recordings Acts of 1984 and 2010

It is illegal to sell, rent or permit to see a movie to anyone under the approved age restriction. (U and PG are unrestricted)

It is illegal to sell or rent video games to anyone under the approved age restriction. ("PEGI 3" and "PEGI 7" are unrestricted)

Aerosol spray paint

Anti-social Behaviour Act 2003

It is illegal to sell aerosol spray paint to anyone under the age of 16.

Cruelty to persons under sixteen

Children and Young Persons Act 1933

It is illegal to anyone 16 or over who has responsibility for any child or young person under that age to: wilfully assaults, ill-treats, neglects, abandons, or exposes him, or causes or procures him to be assaulted, ill-treated, neglected, abandoned, or exposed, in a manner likely to cause him unnecessary suffering or injury to health (including injury to or loss of sight, or hearing, or limb, or organ of the body, and any mental derangement).